Shah Faesal’s party not to contest Lok Sabha polls

Srinagar: Shah Faesal, the 2009 IAS topper, announced on Saturday that his recently formed Jammu and Kashmir Peoples’ Movement (JKPM) will not contest the Lok Sabha elections. He, however, urged the people of the State to vote in the democratic process wholeheartedly so that the right candidates are elected.

He said that decision to stay away from the polls this time has been prompted by two main considerations; firstly the party is in infancy stage and, therefore, should focus more on mass contact programme and, secondly, to prove the notion that it has been launched with the aim of causing split of votes to benefit a particular political party untrue.

While addressing a press conference, Mr Faesal said, “We have had threadbare discussions on the issue within the core group of the party and the unanimous view was that we are a party still in the stages of infancy and, therefore, we should focus on mass contact programme”. He added, “Our decision should also be our response to those voices and the people who were accusing us of being stooges of the Centre for dividing votes in the current elections.”

He said that the Jammu and Kashmir Peoples’ Movement (JKPM) was not eying on elections nor does it want to grab power “but our main aim is to work towards the restoration of political rights of the people of the State.

Replying questions, the former Indian Admin-istrative Service (IAS) officer said that the people should come out in large numbers to participate in the democratic process. He also said that the JKPM will communicate in due cou-rse of time as to which party or candidates in the fray it supports. “Whether there is boycott or not, elections will be held and people will be elected to Parliament. Therefore, pe-ople should understand it and take part in the democratic process so that the right candidates are elected,” he said.